Culture Specific Activities

1. Culture Specific Activities Prepared by Winnie Lam, CDP, ADS Coordinator, CASL Presented by Yicklun Mo, MSW, Elderly Service Department Manager, CASL

2. 35th Anniversary Chinese American Service League • Located in the heart of Chinatown in Chicago • Families and individuals of all ages and backgrounds for more than 30 years • Mainly Chinese Americans with low socio-economic background • Child services, elder services, employment training services, and family counseling, and housing and financial education • Serve about 17,000 clients each year

3. 15 Years of Experience Adult Day Service Center福康耆老樂園 • Established in 1998 • Mission: Dedicated to helping older adults achieve healthy aging and maintain independence through our person-centered care and services • Goals: A full range of services that support the clients as well as the caregivers (Therapeutic large and small groups and individual meetings)

4. ADS Target Population: Chinese Americans • Common demographics • Immigrants • Most come from mainland China and Hong Kong; a few from Macau, Taiwan, Vietnamese and Philippines • Gone through similar major events in life, e.g. civil war, World War II, establishment of People’s Republic of China, colonist government • All can understand Chinese

5. Chinese Americans are all different But… • Very diverse characteristics • Different dialects (Cantonese, Taishanese, Fujian, Taiwanese, Shanghainese, Mandarin, Vietnamese, English...) • Different life experience dependent on their origin, residence, social status • A wide range of socio-economic levels (from no education to Phd, from no working experience, farmer to professional, from low income to business owner…) • A wide variety of needs and interests

6. So how can we market the CASL ADS program to diverse cultural background? Customize your activity programming to recruit targeted clusters

7. Tom Kitwood’s model of Person-centered Care • Key principles: • Attend to the whole person • See each person as special/unique • Give respect to the past • Focus on the positives • Stay in communication • Nourish attachments • Create community • Maximize freedom and minimize control • Don’t just give, receive as well • Maintain a moral word

8. Adopting Person-centered Care in Activity Programming for each cluster of clients Needs Analysis Evaluation Design Implementation

9. Monday’s Group: Arts with Dementia • Established in April 2012 • Target: Clients Alzheimer’s or other types of dementia • Needs: A psychosocial safety net for clients with language and cognitive problem to express idea, thoughts and feelings through different channels • Design and Implementation: A quiet and closed room, with music on, structured or unstructured art medium exploration under facilitation of Art therapist or well-trained staff • Evaluation: Regular attendance of 6 clients. With increased personal attachment to ADS (called it as 2nd home), their total units increased by 36 units per week since establishment

10. Tuesday’s Group: Support Group • Established in May 2012 • Target: Clients with depressive symptoms identified through Healthy IDEAS • Needs: A supportive environment among clients facing similar issues such as illness and relationship problems to make connections • Design and Implementation: A closed environment with some refreshment provided; discussion topics facilitated by trained staff; self-help techniques and mindset change skills are shared by the staff and clients • Evaluation: Regular attendance of 9 clients. 2 cases successfully closed after behavioral intervention; 5 clients with no depressive symptoms

11. Wednesday’s Group: Singing Group • Established in 2006 • Target: Clients with high functioning level and interest in singing • Needs: Accomplishment, recognition, social bonding • Design and Implementation: Led and taught by a client (a group of 15 female and male clients); weekly practice; songs selected by clients; staff provide minimal assistance • Evaluation: Regular attendance of 14 clients. Performance in at least 4 parties per year. Their total units increased by 36 units per week

12. Thursday’s Group: ADS Board Committee • Established in May 2012 • Target: High educational level • Needs: Leverage knowledge and skills, share thoughts, make contribution • Design and Implementation: Committee consists of clients, decide on topics, collect materials, and design the monthly bulletin board; Staff provide minimal assistance • Evaluation: Regular attendance of 7 clients. Their total units increased by 24 units per week

13. Focuses on Needs, Strengths and Interests More person-centered activity programming examples… Chinese Cultural Talk by Client Chan Museum Visit Arts and Crafts Fundraising Project Cultural Exchange Visit Evidence-based Programming

14. Marketing is also a key… Monthly eNewsletter, quarterly Pine Tree newsletter, local newspaper In 2012, ADS PSA published on local newspaper = 31 articles As of Oct 2013, ADS PSA published = 41 articles

15. Here comes with real statistics • Client Satisfaction: Overall satisfaction increased by 3.4%, sat. with each activity type either 99% or 100% • Family Satisfaction: 94% of their beloved members had better mood, 89% had better social life • Client Acquisition from 16% to 30% • Client Retention from 79% to 85%

16. Let’s exchange idea and experience! Yicklun Mo, MSW, Manager, Elderly Service Department Yicklun_mo@caslservice.org 312-791-0418 (ext 1119) Winnie Lam, CDP, ADS Coordinator Winnie_lam@caslservice.org 312-791-0418 (ext 1120)

17. Bibliography • Bell, V., & Troxel, D. (1997). The Best Friends Approach to Alzheimer’s Care. Baltimore: Health Professions Press Inc. • Kitwood, T. (1997) Dementia Reconsidered. Buckingham: Open University Press • Parker, S., Will, C. & Burke, C. (1999). Activities for the Elderly: A Guide to Quality Programming Volume 1. Ravensdale: Idyll Arbor Inc.